Royals are concerned with Prince Philip's condition that Prince Harry is being urged to return to the United Kingdom to bid "goodbye" to his grandfather. Palace insiders advised Prince Harry to fly home due to Prince Philip, who is in the hospital.
Prince Harry advised to go home to the UK for Prince Philip
According to a source who spoke to Style Caster, "Who knows if he will listen." The source continued and noted that palace insiders are making arrangements for a possible funeral, a massive state function. The source added that there are many discussions regarding what to do with Meghan Markle and Harry's problem before explaining that palace officials are considering where to place them and how to protect them from the British public who might "boo" them.
On February 16, Prince Philip, 99, was first hospitalized after feeling "unwell." On Monday, March 1, Buckingham Palace reported that the duke had been transferred to a specialist hospital for further treatment and observation after spending weeks at King Edward VII's hospital in London as a precautionary measure.
The Duke of Edinburgh was moved from King Edward VII's Hospital to St. Bartholomew's Hospital on March 1, where doctors will begin to monitor him for infection and perform testing and evaluation for pre-existing heart disease, according to the palace. Although Prince Philip "remains comfortable and responding to treatment," the palace said at the time that he is "expected to stay in the hospital until at least the end of the week."
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Royal experts urge Prince Harry, Meghan to postpone the interview
In light of Prince Philip's health concerns, royal observers encourage Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to delay Oprah Winfrey's interview. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently sat down with Winfrey for a two-hour special in which "nothing was off-limits," due to air on March 7. The 90-minute interview will air on CBS in the United States and officially discuss subjects such as the couple's royal departure and Meghan's pregnancy. The Duchess is expecting her second child with Harry.
However, some royal experts, including Richard Fitzwilliams, the former editor of Who's Who, have since recommended that the couple's forthcoming interview be rescheduled. At the same time, the Duke of Edinburgh remains hospitalized, the Independent reported.
Fitzwilliams explained that he understands why the duke and duchess would be engaged in an interview with Winfrey because they "could get across the message they want," noting that Gayle King has previously stated that Winfrey was pleased with the interview.
However, given Prince Philip's health, Fitzwilliams said it would be a most appropriate move at the moment if the interview would be postponed. Fitzwilliams admitted that the amount of advertisement, time, and money spent on the show, which will air on CBS, may make it difficult to delay; however, he thinks Winfrey will help.
He is not alone in claiming that the two-hour special should be postponed; other royal experts have already mentioned that the interview should not air this weekend. Robert Lacey, the historical consultant for The Crown and author of the royal biography, Majesty, told The Daily Beast that canceling or postponing the interview would be advantageous for Prince Harry's image.
"I think it would be a great turnaround for Prince Harry's image if he took the brave step of canceling the interview this weekend - or, if that's not practical, atleast delaying it," Lacey said.
Meanwhile, Penny Junor, the author of Prince Harry, Brother, Soldier, Son, agreed that it is the right thing to do, saying, "Anything could hijack this interview as the Duke of Edinburgh is ill and could die any time. They were not to know he would get sick, but it could be seen to be the wrong time."
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